There are a variety of vehicles which exist in the industrial setting for use in hauling loads or heavy components. Of particular popularity are vehicles used in the airport ground support industry for transporting equipment special to that industry. As there are a variety of components for use in the airport ground support industry, it is preferred to have a single vehicle which can support a multitude of such components. These components, or loads, may include, for example, lavatory service tanks, water service tanks, passenger stairs, maintenance lifts, flatbeds, fuel tanks, etc. Use of a vehicle that can handle components of high weight is an important factor, as well as having a vehicle that is durable to withstand the abusive rigors in such an industrial environment.
Vehicles presently used in the GSE industry include those of the variety that are also employed in the on-road environment. Many of the features of on-road vehicles are not attractive for use in the industrial and/or GSE industry. On-road vehicles bring high cost in maintenance, especially those having elaborate systems required for compliance with various standards and regulations for on-road classification. Commonly, manufacturers of on-road vehicles make design modifications year by year, thus requiring an enormous stock of replacement parts for maintenance which adds to the overhead of the airport ground supporter or other industrial user.
In designing on-road vehicles, a focus is on complying with governmental regulations and standards, necessitating use of complex components for specialized fuel, exhaust and ignition systems, microprocessor controlled transmissions, and structural designs to lessen the weight of the vehicle to comply with fuel economy. In doing so, many on-road vehicles incorporate the use of plastic or light gauge sheet metal body components that are susceptible to damage in the industrial environment. Moreover, on-road vehicles require sophisticated and high powered engines to maintain highway velocity, whereas in most industrial and/or airport settings the maximum speed requirement is approximately 20 miles per hour in ramp areas and around aircraft, and 35 miles per hour on outer airport service roads. High power engines are not necessarily needed where transport is about a relatively horizontal surface such as a paved airfield. Many conventional vehicles that are capable of carrying loads in the 5,000 to 9,000 pound range may be too large to fit under aircraft.
Off-road vehicles used in the industrial context are generally extremely large hauling mechanisms or low-weight machines, leaving a substantial void for an intermediate weight transport vehicle. Moreover, in many industrial contexts, and especially the airport GSE industry, it is desirable to have a cab portion for transporting more than a single individual so multiple tasks may be accomplished once the vehicle reaches the desired location. For instance, one worker may load baggage while the other refills tanks or performs some other tasks. Having a cab that is easily accessible and configured to accommodate multiple persons is a desire. Also safely positioning the operators within the cab is important in an industrial setting, especially when common on-road features regarding safety compliance (i.e., airbags, crumple zones, etc.) are not possible, practical, required, contemplated or desired.
The frame or frame assembly of a vehicle used in such off-road environment or GSE setting is an important aspect of the vehicle. Some particular frames as used in vehicles, including frames used in vehicles in on-road environments, generally lack features to accommodate for intermediate load carrying ability in an off-road setting while providing lowered profile, and require complicated or expensive manufacturing. Examples of some such frames include those shown in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 1,475,352 to Wales; U.S. Pat. No. 1,872,506 to Sage; U.S. Pat. No. 1,872,671 to Beck, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,977 to Wessel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,640 to Begg; U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,792 to Moore, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,183 to Haluda, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,132 to Ruehl; U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,663 to Krupp; U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,048 to Horton, et al. The unique structure of the present frame, however, results in a specially functioned frame for better use in the off-road environment.
Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is to provide an off-road vehicle which has an intermediate gross vehicle weight capacity; which does not contain sophisticated systems commonly needed for on-road use; which may be configured with a variety of vehicle accessories, including a variety of accessories for airport ground support; which requires low maintenance combined with high-load capacity and maximum configurability; which allows for multiple passenger transport and ease of entry, as well as a low profile for traveling among and beneath other industrial equipment including other airport GSE vehicles and airplanes. Further objects of the present invention include providing a load supporting member and a frame assembly to accommodate the aforementioned objects.